Circuit closer for steering wheels



SePtl, 1936. F. l. GETTY E CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR STEERING WHEELS s sheetsneet 1 Filed Sept. so, 1955 5 Sheets-Smeltl 2 Sept. 1, F. LGETTY CRCUIT CLOSER FOR STEERING WHEELS Filed Sept. 30, 1955 Qu al w f an o w om Sept l, 1935 F. s. GETTY CIRCUIT ACLOSER FOR STEERING WHEELS Filed Sept. 30, 1935 5 Sheets-Shee'b 3 NA. N*

kuk? Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

The invention relates to circuit closers for steering wheels and has as an object the provision of a form of circuit closer or switch to be applied to steering wheels to control electric accessories of an automobile from the rim of the steering wheel of the vehicle.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a circuit closer for a steering Wheel operating by sliding movement circumferentially of the wheel.

It is a further object of the invention to provide various forms of slidable members or slidable rings carried in a groove or grooves in the rim of the steering Wheel, operating upon circumferential sliding movement to control the .circuit or circuits provided to include accessories tion in one form;

Fig. 2 is a detail horizontal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of a section of steering wheel rim showing Wiring connections;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of another form of the invention;`

Fig. 5 is an end view of al metallic core only of a spoke showing wires projecting therefrom;

Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal section on line 6--6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal section on line 'I-I of Fig. 4 showing a preferred construction of cer'- tain of the contact elements provided in the rim; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of a system of circuits for convenience shown Within a diagrammatic showing of a portion of a steering wheel rim.

As shown in Figure 1 a steering wheel rim is indicated at I0 and in the upper part of the rim is shown a pair of circuit closers I I, I 2, which may be caused to bridge a circuit by pressure upon theappropriate bead I3 or M to cause a band of helically formed wire to bridge between contacts v I5 or I6 and a core portion I'l of the Wheel rim,

resilient closure 2U being preferably formed of partially vulcanized resilient rubber, and that upon release of pressure upon the bead I3 or I4, the circuit Will return to open circuit condition.

In accordance with the invention as illustrated in Fig. 1, a circuit closer for direction signals is embodied in the rim housed in a groove 2l in the lower side of the rim. For this purpose a ring 22 of insulating material as hard rubber, bakelite or the like is shown as circumferentially slidable in the groove 2I and carries with it a bridging member 23 illustrated in detail in Fig. 2. For purposes of illustration this bridge member is shown in Fig. 1 as opposite the spoke I9 but preferably its position will be that shown in'Fig. 3 midway between a pair of spokes.

As shown the bridging member 23 is of U shape and is carried in a pair of grooves 24, 25 in the ring 22, the U portion extending through a. perforation 26 in the ring.

The member 22 is shown as formed with U shaped ends 2l, 28, the end 28 normally standing upon a block of insulation 29 which may be integral with the rim.

The portion of the core I'l shown at 30 is illustrated as formed with a groove 3| in which the member 2l slides and in normal position the members 2l and 28 engage depressions in the member 30 and in the member 29 to indicate and preserve a normal position of the ring. It will be seen that by sliding the ring beyond its normal travel so that the member 21 rides out of the groove 3|, the ring may be freely removed from the rim of the wheel.

When the member 23 is moved so that the member 28 contacts with the contact member 32 or 33, a circuit may be closed through the direction signals of the vehicle by means of wires 34 or 35, which wires are indicated in Fig. 3 as leading through hollow spokes of the wheel.

In the form of Fig. 4, the circuit closers I I and I2 are replaced by the sliding ring type of circuit closer of the invention indicated at 35 and 3l and the ring 22 is replaced by a third sliding ring 3B. To control electromagnetic switches for the -purpose of manipulating the lights of the vehicle, a. fourth ring 39 is indicated in Fig. 4.

It is preferred to utilize one of the sliding rings as 3l to control the horn, and the other thereof as 36 to operate a connected electromagnetic switch for control of lights. Either ring may be moved a short distance in one direction to close a circuit against the yielding pressure of a spring, as spring 40, which spring'serves to return the ring to normal open circuit position when be knurled, corrugated or otherwise roughened to provide a grip of a nger thereon.

The spring il@ is shown as seating in a socket Ali in the ring Si at one end and in a socket l2 in VYthe rim at its remaining end. A screw'i passing through the ring 3l from its exposed surface, has its Vlower end projecting beyond the lower surface of the ring into a slot i5 to actas a stop to limit the movements'of the ring. Y

The rings may each be provided with a plurality of springs as 23 which may be connected in parallel if a single circuit is to be controlled.V Or one of such springs may be a circuit Yclosing spring and others may be exactly similar except that they coact with no contacts. Such a plurality of springs coacting with the grooves 3i in the core l'l vor ll will retain the rings in their Y grooves.

A spring and slot as ll, l5 may be provided for each slidingring, the slot l5 being adapted to f the intended movements of the ring. To remove a ring, it is only necessary to back oii the screw ll andthen move the ring in the proper directionA beyond its normal movements until thersprings 23 V(or Eil) ride out oiV the grooves 3l (or 59), when the ring may be freely removed from its groove. Y

Where a ring is provided with a spring dil,

vmovement of the ring (as downwardly in Fig. V6)

' pressing the same into the recess llt, insertion of ringl into the groove and movement toward operating position. In the last namedmovement 'the angle of socket :il will cause the Yspring to Ventera'socket 2. To assist this tendency the spring lil may be formed normally bowed Vor curved to increase its tendency to snap into socket 42. The spring must have a tight t in socket 4i and a loose fit in socket 42. Y

,In Fig. 8 is shownra diagrammatic View of a system-of circuitsfto provide a light control corresponding tothat Ydescribed and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 17,091, iled April YIn Yaccordance with the circuit arrangement illustrated inFig. 8,7siX groups of contacts are provided to be controlled by one of the rings as idfv The ring is slidable from a zero position in either the plus or minus direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8. Groups l and 5 are devoted tothe control of a connection of electromagneticV switches with a circuit closer which inthe present invention maybe either the circuit closer il of Fig..1'or 35 or" Fig. fi. Group 2 of the contacts is devoted to the control oi the parking, dash and tail lights; group V3 tothe control of the dim lights; group i to the control oi the tilt lights; and. group 5 to the control of the bright lights.

v`The ends of Vthe bridge members lle-lrhave their zero positions indicated in Fig. 8 and the positions of the ends of these bridging members are Yindicated for each position of plus or minus direction oi movement of the ringl.

i It Vwillvbe unnecessary to trace the circuits of the .system illustrated in Fig. 8 as the system is that of my co-pendin-g applicationV above referred to, it'being sufcient to state that in plus l position,..a 'two-wayswitch is connected with the circuit closer, the dash and tail lights are in circuit and the dim' and tilt lights arerconnected with the two-way switch. In position plus 2 the same circuit closer is connected, the dash and tail lights are illuminated and the dim and bright lights are connected Ywith the two-Way switch. In position minus l, the dash and taillights are illuminated, the three-way switch is connected with circuit closer e6 and the dim, tilt and bright lights are connected with the corresponding contact members of the three-way switch,y while in position minus 2 the only contact closed is that oi the parking light to battery. Y

In'lig '7 is shown a structure of the group 3 or the contacts of Fig. 8 and also of the ring 38 for control of the direction signals. As there shown the bridging member 5i) resides in a groove 55 in ring 39 and has a projection 56 Yengaging a depression in ring 3S to cause the member 50 to travel with the ring. The ends 5l, 5S, of member Eil travel'in a groove 5S which is continuous across the contact blocks Gil, 6l, 62, each of which con- Y positioning of the ring 39 in its movement. Y The zero position of the member 50 may also be determined by depressions 64 in the rim IU,

as indicated. Y The system of Fig. 8 will requireV fifteen wire to run to the rim, which with a horn Wire and two direction wires will make a total of eighteen wires to be run to the rim. In Fig. 5 Yis shown an arrangement of six wires extending through a hollow spoke, which when Y there are three spokes to the'wheel as is usual,

will supply the connections for the full control of theY accessories provided by the'system of Fig. 8 when used with either of the circuit closers in the upper portion of the wheel shown in Fig. 1 or YFig. ll.

Mino-r changes may be made in the physical embodiments of the invention Within the scope of Vtact blocks has a'depression or depressions 63 for the appended claims without departing from the Y spirit thereof.Y

I claim: Y l Y 1. A steering wheel carried circuit closer comprising, in combination: a wheel rim having a 2. A steering wheel carried circuitrcloser com-V prising, in combination: a wheel rim having a groove; a movable member in said groove slidable circumierentially of said wheel; contact elements fixed in said rim and exposed in said groove; a wall oi said groove and the opposed surface of said movable member formed with opposed longitudinal registering grooves; the groove in said wall extending across at least one of said contact members; a bridging member mounted to travel with said movable member and residing in said opposed grooves to bridge said contact members and tol retain said movable member in said rst named groove; and means whereby movement of said Ymovable member out of normal operating posiisY one of said opposed grooves to permit removal of said movable member.

3. A steering Wheel carried circuit closer comprising, in combination: a Wheel rim formed with an annular groove; a ring of insulating material circumferentially slidable in said groove; a metallic core in and forming a part of said rim to be grounded upon the frame of a vehicle; a portion of said core exposed in a wall of said groove; a fixed contact member carried by said rim and exposed in a second Wall of said groove; a bridging member mounted to travel with said ring having portions to be brought into and out of bridging relation with said exposed core portion and said contact member by circumferential movement of said ring.

4. A steering Wheel carried circuit closer comprising, in combination: a Wheel rim formed with an annular groove; a ring carried in said groove for circumferential sliding movement; a plurality of groups of contacts xed in said rim and exposed in said groove; a bridging member carried by said ring for each group of contacts, to simultaneously interconnect, selected contacts of a plurality of said groups upon selective movement of said ring; and circuit means to control automobile lights by interconnection of various of said contacts.

5. A steering Wheel carried circuit closer comprising, in combination: a Wheel rim formed with an annular groove; a ring carried in said groove for circumferential sliding movement; a plurality of groups of contacts fixed in said rim and exposed in said groove; a bridging member carried by said ring for each group of contacts, to simultaneously interconnect selected contacts of a plurality of said groups upon selective movement of said ring; circuit means to control automobile lights by interconnection of various of said contacts; and a separate circuit closer carried by the wheel rim to close circuits under control of certain of said contacts.

6. A steering Wheel carried circuit closer comprising, in combination: a Wheel rim having an annular groove and a recess in a wall of said groove: a ring slidable in said groove, and formed with a recess; a spring acting in compression between oppositely facing walls of said recesses to urge said ring toward normal position; and contacts carried by said rim and ring respectively, to be brought into electrical connection by movement of said ring against the urge of said spring.

7. A steering Wheel carried circuit closer comprising, in combination: a Wheel rim having an annular groove and a recess in a Wall of said groove; a ring slidable in said groove and having a recess partially in registry with said first named recess, in the normal position of the ring; a spring fixed to said ring and acting in compression between oppositely facing Walls of said recesses to urge the ring toward normal position; said spring movable out of the rim recess and into the ring recess upon an abnormal movement of the ring, to permit removal of the ring from the groove; and contacts carried by said rim and ring respectively, to be brought into electrical connection by movement of said ring against the urge of said spring.

FRED I. GET'I'Y. 

